Plastic axle keepers for use on toy vehicles



June 25, 1968 R. L. CREMER 3,339,495

PLASTIC AXLE KEEPERS FOR USE ON TOY VEHICLES Filed Dec. 28, 1965 2sheets-sheet 1 I l I A "Ill/1 J/Wsx/m 205527 A. Caz-W59 R. L. CREMER3,389,495

PLASTIC AXLE KEEPERS FOR USE ON TOY VEHICLES June 25, 1968 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 28, 1965 JW/a/rwe United States Patent3,389,495 PLASTIC AXLE KEEPERS FOR USE ON TOY VEHICLES Robert L. Cremer,Freeport, lll., assignor to King-Seeley Thermos C0,, Ann Arbor, Mich, acorporation of Michigan Filed Dec. 28, 1965, Ser. No. 516,953

13 Claims. (Cl. 46221) This invention relates to plastic axle keepersfor use on toy vehicles, the principal advantages derived therefrombeing, first of all, greater economy and greater durability, andsecondly, saving in cost of assembling from the standpoint that thesekeepers make possible and practical the preliminary assembly of thewheels on the axles before the axles are assembled in the slots providedthere for in the chassis.

In accordance with my invention, the axle has bearing contact inhalf-round bearing recesses provided therefor in coaxially alignedrelation in the flanges on opposite sides of the chassis, the recessesbeing at the inner ends of the vertical slots that are provided in thelower edge portions of the flanges, so that the only function for theplastic keepers is to hold the axle in place in the recess and to deadenthe sound when the toy vehicle is banged on the floor, these keepersbeing adapted to be assembled on the chassis in any one of four ways:

(1) One way is to have the keeper, which preferably has abutment withthe inner side of the flange on the chassis, fastened to the flangesuitably by means of integral studs provided on and projecting from theopposite ends of the keeper and adapted to be forced through registeringholes in the flange and retained against displacement by means of headsprovided on the outer ends thereof, which project from the outer side ofthe flange, the middle portion of the keeper having a half-round hearingportion provided thereon at the lower end of a vertical slot, so thatthe axle can be entered in the keeper through the slot and the bearingthereon can engage in a vertical slot provided therefor in the bottomportion of the flange under the axle bearing;

(2) Another way is to have a one-piece keeper that is vertically groovedon the periphery at both ends to receive portions of the flange onopposite sides of the vertical slot in the lower portion of the flange,the slot having notches provided therein on opposite sides of theentrance portion into which laterally projecting lugs defined in thegrooves in the keeper are arranged to be engaged to retain the keeper onthe flange holding the axle in its half-round bearing recess provided inthe flange at the inner end of r the slot;

(3) The third way is to have the one-piece keeper slotted vertically atthe middle to accommodate the axle and hold the same in its half-roundbearing recess in the flange, there being a half-round bearing portionprovided on the keeper to bear against the lower half of the axle and bereceived in a vertical slot provided therefor in the lower portion ofthe flange, the keeper having inwardly and upwardly projectinghook-shaped lugs on its opposite ends to receive the lower edge portionof the flange on opposite sides of the slot while other lugs projectingat right angles from the upper portion of the keeper and arranged to beforced through slots provided in the flange serve to lock the keeperfirmly in place against displacement, and

(4) A fourth way is to provide a one-piece substantially square sheetform of keeper adapted to be wrapped around the lower edge portion ofthe flange, the same being slotted inwardly from opposed edges toaccommodate the axle and arranged to be locked to the flange by proicejecting studs provided on one half that engage through holes in theflange and through holes in the other half to lock the keeper firmly inplace in a manner similarly as in the first and third forms.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG.1 is a perspective view showing a portion of a toy vehicle chassislooking at the bottom thereof and illustrating how an axle is retainedby a one-piece plastic keeper made in accordance with my invention andengaging the axle from below to hold the axle firmly in place whileproviding bearing contact with the lower half thereof, the keeper beingsecured to the flange by means of headed studs provided on the keeperand pressed through holes provided in the flange on opposite sides ofthe slot in which the half-round bearing is provided for the upper halfof the axle;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the keeper;

FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 are, respectively, a side view, an end view, and abottom view showing the axle keeper installed;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing another axle keeper like thatillustrated in side elevation in FIG. 7;

FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 are, respectively, a side View, an end view, and abottom view showing the keeper of FIG. 7 installed;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIGS. 1 and 6, showing another one-piecekeeper;

FIGS. 12, 13, and 14 are, respectively, a side view, an end view, and abottom view showing the keeper of FIG. 11 installed;

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIGS. 1, 6, and 11, showing still anotherone-piece keeper like that illustrated in side elevation and endelevation in FIGS. 16 and 17, respectively, and

FIGS. 18, 19, and 20 are, respectively, a side view, an end view, and abottom view showing the keeper of FIGS. 16 and 17 installed.

Similar reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughoutthe views.

Referring to the drawings, and first to FIGS. 1 to 5, the referencenumeral 21 designates the sheet metal chassis of a toy vehicle havinglongitudinally extending flanges 22 in spaced parallel relation alongits opposite sides, in which generally U-shaped slots 23 are provided toaccommodate the plastic axle keepers 24 of my invention to retain theaxles 25 in the half-round bearing recesses 26 defined at the inner endsof the slots 23, the axles 25 having their wheels 27 mounted thereonbefore they reach the assembly line. An appreciable saving in cost ofproduction is thereby realized and a far better grade product is alsomade possible in this way, as distinguished from prior constructionswhere the axles had to be assembled on the chassis first before thewheels could be applied to the opposite ends, or at least one end; Theplastic keepers 24 are relatively cheap but they actually upgrade thefinal toy vehicle considerably by virtue of the sound deadening actionthey give, whereby to reduce if not eliminate the tinny or metallicsounds given by other toys when the wheels thereof are banged onto thefloor.

The axle keepers 24 are preferably of flexible resilient polyethylene,although certain rubbers or any other similar resilient flexible plasticmaterial may be used, it being important that the keepers be expansibleand compressible radially, that being necessary to enable forcing thehead ends 28 of studs 29 through holes 30 in the flanges 22 and havethem expand to normal size when they emerge from the holes in thefastening of the keepers 24 to the inner sides of the flanges after thehalf-round bearing portions 31 on the keepers have been entered in theslots 23 in engagement with the underside of the axle 25 to hold theaxle in place in the half-round bearing recesses 26 at the inner ends ofthe slots 23. The keepers 24 are slotted vertically at the middle, asindicated at 32, down to the bearing portions 31 to enable assembly overthe underside of the axle 25.

In operation, the axles 25 come to the assembly line with the wheels 27assembled thereon, and, in mounting the same on the chassis, theoperator first places the axle in the bearing recesses 26 and thenapplies a keeper 24 to each of the side flanges 22 with the axle 25passing through the slot 32 to engage in the bearing portion 31 as seenin FIG. 3, the two studs 29 on each keeper being thereafter forcedthrough the holes 30 in the flange 22 to secure the keepers 24 in placeon the inner sides of the flanges. The head ends 28 of the studs expandimmediately upon emerging from the holes 30 as seen in FIG. so thatthere is no danger of the keeper ever becoming displaced from itsassembled position. There is enough sound deadening effect obtained withthese plastic axle keepers to be quite noticeable and give a welcomechange from the amount of tinny or metallic sounds previously given byeven the more expensive toys. The fastening of the keepers with thestuds 29 is secure enough to discourage a child from trying to removethe keepers, so they remain a permanent part of the toy assembly.

In the construction shown in FIGS. 6 through the keepers 24a are alsomade of the same plastic material as the keepers 24, and the samegeneral effect is obtained as with the plastic keepers 24. However,keepers 24a are made generally U-shaped and are designed to be snappedinto place in the notches 33 provided at the inner ends of the verticalslots 23a in flanges 22a on the chassis 21a, the notches 33 being nextto the bearing recesses 26a in which the axle is engaged and the keepers24a having lugs 34 defined on the opposite ends of the cross-portion ofthe T-shaped portion 35 of the body thereof, arranged to be compressedby forcing the same into the flared rounded ends 36 of the slot 23a tosnap into place in the notches 33 when the keeper gets all the way inwith its half-round bearing portion 31a in engagement with the undersideof the axle 25. The axle is entered in the keeper through the verticalslot 32a leading to the bearing portion 31a. The keeper is groovedperipherally on its opposite ends, as indicated at 37, to receive theportions of flange 22a on opposite sides of the slot 23a, so that thekeeper 24a is positively held against axial displacement from itsassembled position on the chassis. The same results are obtainable,generally speaking, with this construction as with that of FIGS. 1 to 5,namely, the sound deadening effect, and the assurance that a childcannot, without great difficulty, remove any of these keepers from thetoy, so that there is every assurance of the keepers remaining permanentparts of the assembly.

Referring next to FIGS. 11 to 14, the one-piece plastic axle keepers 24bare closely similar to the keepers 24a just described, and also resemblethe keepers 24 first described in so far as the bearing portions 31b onthe keepers 24b are concerned, these engaging the underside of the axle25 and serving to hold the same in the bearing recesses 26b on theflanges 22b of chassis 21b when the keepers are finally secured to theflanges. Each keeper has two upwardly facing hooked-shaped lugs 38provided on the lower edge portion thereof on opposite sides of thebearing portion 31b to receive the lower edge portion of the flange 22b,and there are also two headed horizontal lugs or studs 39 provided onthe upper edge portion on opposite sides of the slot 32b arranged to beforced through slots 40 provided in the flange 22b to anchor the keeperfirmly in place when the enlarged head portions 41 of the lugs 39 emergefrom the slots 40. The same results, generally speaking, are obtainablewith this construction as with the other two constructions previouslydescribed.

The flat sheet form of wrap-around keepers 24c illustit) trated in FIGS.15 to 20 are also of one-piece plastic construction and designed for awrap-around assembly under the flanges 220 on chassis 21c after the axle25 has been entered in its bearing recess 260 in the inner end of theslot 230, each keeper 240 being molded in the flat sheet form as seen inFIGS. 16 and 17 with longitudinally extending grooves 42 provided in theouter side lengthwise of the middle portion to make for easier foldingalong the middle portion over the longitudinal bottom edge portion ofthe flange 22c. The slots 320 at the middle of both sides of the body ofthe keeper terminate in the half-round bearing portions 310 that engagethe axle 25 on the lower side when the keeper is ready for anchoring tothe flange by forcing the headed studs 29c that are provided on one halfof the keeper through holes 30c in the flange 22c and throughregistering holes 43 provided in the other half of the keeper, theenlarged heads 28c on these studs being compressed to pass through theregistering holes and expanding immediately upon emerging from the holesto give a very secure fastening. It is preferred to extend the studs 29coutwardly from the inner side of the flanges, as that is the morepractical way, and the wheels 27 on opposite ends of the axle interfereto the smallest extent. The same results, generally speaking, areobtainable with this construction as with the other three firstdescribed.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding ofthe objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims havebeen drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim:

1. An axle keeper construction for axles on toy vehicles comprising, incombination, a bearing support having a generally rectangular slotprovided therein with an entrance at one edge of said support for entryof an axle therein in transverse relationship to said support, saidsupport having a substantially semi-circular metallic bearing providedtherein at the inner end of said slot to receive said axle, an axlekeeper of non-metallic bearing material having a slot opening thereinfrom one edge to a substantially semi-circular bearing portion at theinner end of said slot last named permitting application of said keeperover said axle for engagement of the axle in the bearing portionthereof, and means for securing said keeper to said support keeping saidaxle in place in the first mentioned bearing while preventingdisplacement of said keeper from assembled relationship to said support.

2. An axle keeper construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein thekeeper comprises an elongated body having a semi-cylindrical projectionon one side thereof at the approximate middle portion in which isdefined the substantially semi-circular bearing portion, saidsemicylindrical projecton being received in the slot in said supportnext to the semi-circular bearing, the means for securing said keeper tosaid support being provided at opposite ends of said elongated body.

3. An axle keeper construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein thekeeper comprises an elongated body having a semi-cylindrical projectionon one side thereof at the approximate middle portion in which isdefined the substantially semi-circular bearing portion, saidsemi-cylindrical projection being received in the slot in said supportnext to the semi-circular bearing, the means for securing said keeper tosaid support being provided at opposite ends of said elongated body andcomprising studs of compressible resilient material projecting at rightangles from said body and adapted to be forced into holes providedtherefor in said support on opposite sides of said bearing recess.

4. An axle keeper construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein thekeeper comprises an elongated body having a semi-cylindrical projectionon one side thereof at the approximate middle portion in which isdefined the substantially semi-circular bearing portion, saidsemicylindrical projection being received in the slot in said supportnext to the semicircular bearing, the means for securing said keeper tosaid support being provided at opposite ends of said elongated body andcomprising studs of compressible resilient material projecting at rightangles from said body and adapted to be forced into holes providedtherefor in said support on opposite sides of said bearing recess, saidstuds having heads on the outer ends thereof which emerge from the holesin said support to anchor the keeper on said support.

5. An axle keeper construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidsupport has notches provided therein on opposite sides of said slots,the keeper being of generally U-shaped construction, the means forsecuring said keeper to said support comprising lugs provided onopposite sides of said keeper of compressible resilient materialarranged and adapted to be forced into said notches -t secure saidkeeper onto said support.

6. An axle keeper construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidsupport has notches provided therein on opposite sides of said slot, thekeeper being of generally U-sh-aped construction, the means for securingsaid keeper to said support comprising lugs provided on opposite sidesof said keeper of compressible resilient material arranged and adaptedto be forced into said notches to secure said keeper onto said support,the support being thinner than said keeper and said keeper havinggrooves provided in the periphery thereof on opposite sides of the U inwhich the aforesaid lugs for entry in said notches are defined, thegrooves receiving portions of said support on opposite sides of saidslot to hold said keeper against axial displacement from assembledposition on said support.

7. An axle keeper construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidsupport has notches provided therein on opposite sides of said slots,the keeper being of generally U-shaped construction, the means forsecuring said keeper to said support comprising lugs provided onopposite sides of said keeper of compressible resilient materialarranged and adapted to be forced into said notches to secure saidkeeper onto said support, the support being thinner than said keeper andsaid keeper having grooves provided in the periphery thereof on oppositesides of the U in which the aforesaid lugs for entry in said notches aredefined, the grooves receiving portions of said support on oppositesides of said slot to hold said keeper against axial displacement fromassembled position on said sup-port, the entrance end of the slot insaid support being flared outwardly to facilitate entry and compressionof said lugs in entering the keeper in the slot in said support to thepoint where the lugs snap into said notches.

8. An axle keeper construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein thekeeper comprises a generally rectangular body having a substantiallysemi-cylindrical projection provided on one side thereof in which isdefined the substantially semi-circular bearing portion for said axle,the slot in said body being wide enough to permit entry of saidsemicylindrical projection therein next to the substantiallysemicircular bearing on said support, said support being thin inrelation to the diameter of said axle, and the means for securing saidkeeper to said support comprises hookshaped lugs provided on said keeperon opposite sides of said semi-cylindrical projection in which an edgeportion of said support on opposite sides of said slot is received forpartially securing said keeper body to said support, and there beingadditional means for securing said keeper body to said supportpreventing disengagement of said support from said hook-shaped lugs.

9. An axle keeper construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein thekeeper comprises a generally rectangular body having a substantiallysemi-cylindrical projection provided on one side thereof in which isdefined the substantially semi-circular bearing portion for said axle,the slot in said body being wide enough to permit entry of saidsemi-cylindrical projection therein next to the substantiallysemi-circular bearing on said support, said support being thin inrelation to the diameter of said axle, and the means for securing saidkeeper to said support comprises hook-shaped lugs provided on saidkeeper on opposite sides of said semi-cylindrical projection in which anedge portion of said support on opposite sides of said slot is receivedfor partially securing said keeper body to said support, and there beingadditional means for securing said keeper body to said supportpreventing disengagement of said support from said hook-shaped lug, saidad ditional means comprising studs of compressible material projectingat right angles from said body on opposite sides of the slot thereinadapted to be forced into holes provided therefor in said support.

10. An axle keeper construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein thekeeper comprises a generally rectangular body having a substantiallysemi-cylindrical projection provided on one side thereof in which isdefined the substantially semi-circular bearing portion for said axle,the slot in said body being wide enough to permit entry of saidsemi-cylindrical projection therein next to the substantiallysemi-circular bearing on said support, said support being thin inrelation to the diameter of said axle, and the means for securing saidkeeper to said support comprises hook-shaped lugs provided on saidkeeper on opposite sides of said semi-cylindrical projection in which anedge portion of said support on opposite sides of said slot is receivedfor partially securing said keeper body to said support, and there beingadditional means for securing said keeper body to said supportpreventing disengagement of said support from said hook-shaped lug, saidadditional means comprising studs of compressible material projecting atright angles from said body on opposite sides of the slot thereinadapted to be forced into holes provided therefor in said support, saidstuds having heads on the outer ends thereof which, upon emerging fromsaid support, anchor said keeper thereto.

11. An axle keeper construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidkeeper comprises a generally rectangular body of flexible sheet materialadapted "to be wrapped around an edge portion of said support closingthe entrance to the slot therein, there being slots provided in saidkeeper body at the approximate middle of opposite sides thereof toreceive said axle therein, the bearing portion on said keeper body beingat the inner ends of said slots, the means for securing said keeper tosaid support serving to secure the opposite ends of said folded body toopposite sides of said support with the keeper in abutment with the edgeportion of said support.

12. An axle keeper construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidkeeper comprises a generally rectangular body of flexible sheet materialadapted to be wrapped around an edge portion of said support closing theentrance to the slot therein, there being slots provided in said keeperbody at the approximate middle of opposite sides thereof to receive saidaxle therein, the bearing portion on said keeper body being at the innerends of said slots, the means for securing said keeper to said supportserving to secure the opposite ends of said folded body to oppositesides of said support with the keeper in abutment with the edge portionof said support, the keeper body having a longitudinally extendinggroove provided therein at the middle in right angle relationship tosaid slots to facilitate folding of said middle portion over the edgeportion of said support.

13. An axle keeper construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidkeeper comprises a generally rectangular body of flexible sheet materialadapted to be wrapped around an edge portion of said support closing theextrance to the slot therein, there being slots provided in said keeperbody at the approximate middle of opposite sides thereof to receive saidaxle therein, the bearing portion on said keeper body being at the innerends of said slots, the means for securing said keeper to said supportserving to secure the opposite ends of said folded body to oppositesides of said support with the keeper in abutment with the edge portionof said support, the securing means comprising headed studs ofcompressible resilient material on one half of said body adapted to beforced through holes provided in said support and through registeringholes provided in the other half of said body, the heads upon emergingfrom the last mentioned holes expanding to anchor said keeper body inassembled relation to said support.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1963 Balthazor 4622l 3/1967Cremer 46222

1. AN AXLE KEEPER CONSTRUCTION FOR AXLES ON TOY VEHICLES COMPRISING, INCOMBINATION, A BEARING SUPPORT HAVING A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR SLOTPROVIDED THEREIN WITH AN ENTRANCE AT ONE EDGE OF SAID SUPPORT FOR ENTRYOF AN AXLE THEREIN IN TRANSVERSE RELATIONSHIP TO SAID SUPPORT, SAIDSUPPORT HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY SEMI-CIRCULAR METALLIC BEARING PROVIDEDTHEREIN AT THE INNER END OF SAID SLOT TO RECEIVE SAID AXLE, AN AXLEKEEPER OF NON-METALLIC BEARING MATERIAL HAVING A SLOT OPENING THEREINFROM ONE EDGE TO A SUBSTANTIALLY SEMI-CIRCULAR BEARING PORTION AT THEINNER END OF SAID SLOT LAST NAMED PERMITTING APPLICATION OF SAID KEEPEROVER SAID AXLE FOR ENGAGEMENT OF THE AXLE IN THE BEARING PORTIONTHEREOF, AND MEANS FOR SECURING SAID KEEPER TO SAID SUPPORT KEEPING SAIDAXLE IN PLACE IN THE FIRST MENTIONED BEARING WHILE PREVENTINGDISPLACEMENT OF SAID KEEPER FROM ASSEMBLED RELATIONSHIP TO SAID SUPPORT.